1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to construction implements, and more particularly relates to an implement for transportation, use and storage of heavy augers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Foundation augers, utility auger and general purpose augers are well-known in the art, and often used in constructing deep foundations for industrial or commercial buildings. Foundation augers, like all earth augers, comprise helical flighting used in drilling to extract earth and aggregate from a ground surface in a construction area. In the case of foundation auger, the dimension of the auger are much greater than with other augers used to drill wells or for other application. Foundation augers can weigh thousands, or even tens of thousands, of pounds. Foundation augers can be difficult or impossible to oriten upright once they have fallen out of the upright position.
Because foundation augers vary in size, shape, weight and the incline angle of their flighting, simple universal rack for storing foundation augers do not exist in the art, much less a universal rack able to store foundation augers of a wide variety of sizes and shapes.
Foundation augers must be detachably affixed to a large drive motor, which suspends them, which drive motor is usually connected to a mechanized vehicle, drilling stations, and/or other machine known to those of skill in the art, including a skid steer, backhoe, excavator, mini excavator, compact track loader, Bobcat®, truck-mounted Derrick digger, pressure digger, or any of a plethora of various types of tractors and track vehicles.
Because of their size, foundation auger are particularly difficult to safely transport and store, and there exists no efficient means in the art of storing or securing foundation augers in an upright position so they can be handled, managed and moved vertically.
There is a need in the art for safer and more efficient apparati and method of securing large foundation augers. It is therefore desirable that an auger rack be provided which facilitates ease of vertical auger transport, storage, use and interchange.